Page:Life and adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1).pdf/9

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prevailed on me to make a voyage for that purpose. Wo fitted out a ship of about 120 tons burden, which earried six guns and fourteen men, besides the master, his boy, and myself.

In this vessel I set sail. We had very good weather for about twelve days; but soon after we had crossed the line, a violent hurrieane drove us quite out of our reekoning, and for many days together not any in the ship expected to save their lives. In this distress, one of our men early one morning eried out, “Land!” and we had no sooner run out of the eabin, in hopes of seeiug where we were, but the ship struck upon a shoal. It is not easy to eoneeive our eonsternation; for as

tho rage of the sea was great, we supposed that the ship would, in a few minutes, break to pieees. We had a boat on board, whieh the mate laid hold of, and with the help of tho rest of tho men flung her over the ship’s side, and getting all into her, committed ourselves to God’s merey. We steered towards land,